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get used to each other） that she was very unhappy； and fretted a
good deal about her husband。 One night； when she was wakeful and
restless； she said to me〃
The Dean of Faculty here interposed； speaking on the prisoner's
behalf。 He appealed to the Judges to say whether such loose and
unreliable evidence as this was evidence which could be received
by the Court。
The Lord Advocate （speaking on behalf of the Crown） claimed it as
his right to produce the evidence。 It was of the utmost
importance in this case to show （on the testimony of an
unprejudiced witness） on what terms the husband and wife were
living。 The witness was a most respectable woman。 She had won；
and deserved； the confidence of the unhappy lady whom she
attended on her death…bed。
After briefly consulting together； the Judges unanimously decided
that the evidence could not be admitted。 What the witness had
herself seen and observed of the relations between the husband
and wife was the only evidence that they could receive。
The Lord Advocate thereupon continued his examination of the
witness。 Christina Ormsay resumed her evidence as follows：
〃My position as nurse led necessarily to my seeing more of Mrs。
Macallan than any other person in the house。 I am able to speak
from experience of many things not known to others who were only
in her room at intervals。
〃For instance； I had more than one opportunity of personally
observing that Mr。 and Mrs。 Macallan did not live together very
happily。 I can give you an example of this； not drawn from what
others told me； but from what I noticed for myself。
〃Toward the latter part of my attendance on Mrs。 Macallan； a
young widow lady named Mrs。 Beaulya cousin of Mr。
Macallan'scame to stay at Gleninch。 Mrs。 Macallan was jealous
of this lady； and she showed it in my presence only the day
before her death； when Mr。 Macallan came into her room to inquire
how she had passed the night。 'Oh；' she said； 'never mind how _I_
have slept！ What do you care whether I sleep well or ill？ How has
Mrs。 Beauly passed the night？ Is she more beautiful than ever
this morning？ Go back to herpray go back to her！ Don't waste
your time with me！' Beginning in that manner； she worked herself
into one of her furious rages。 I was brushing her hair at the
time； and feeling that my presence was an impropriety under the
circumstances； I attempted to leave the room。 She forbade me to
go。 Mr。 Macallan felt； as I did； that my duty was to withdraw；
and he said so in plain words。 Mrs。 Macallan insisted on my
staying in language so insolent to her husband that he said； 'If
you cannot control yourself； either the nurse leaves the room or
I do。' She refused to yield even then。 'A good excuse；' she said；
'for getting back to Mrs。 Beauly。 Go！' He took her at her word；
and walked out of the room。 He had barely closed the door before
she began reviling him to me in the most shocking manner。 She
declared； among other things she said of him； that the news of
all others which he would be most glad to hear would be the news
of her death。 I ventured； quite respectfully； on r emonstrating
with her。 She took up the hair…brush and threw it at me； and then
and there dismissed me from my attendance on her。 I left her； and
waited below until her fit of passion had worn itself out。 Then I
returned to my place at the bedside； and for a while things went
on again as usual。
〃It may not be amiss to add a word which may help to explain Mrs。
Macallan's jealousy of her husband's cousin。 Mrs。 Macallan was a
very plain woman。 She had a cast in one of her eyes； and （if I
may use the expression） one of the most muddy； blotchy
complexions it was ever my misfortune to see in a person's face。
Mrs。 Beauly； on the other hand； was a most attractive lady。 Her
eyes were universally admired； and she had a most beautifully
clear and delicate color。 Poor Mrs。 Macallan said of her； most
untruly； that she painted。
〃No； the defects in the complexion of the deceased lady were not
in any way attributable to her illness。 I should call them born
and bred defects in herself。
〃Her illness； if I am asked to describe it； I should say was
troublesomenothing more。 Until the last day there were no
symptoms in the least degree serious about the malady that had
taken her。 Her rheumatic knee was painful； of courseacutely
painful； if you likewhen she moved it； and the confinement to
bed was irksome enough； no doubt。 But otherwise there was nothing
in the lady's condition； before the fatal attack came； to alarm
her or anybody about her。 She had her books and her writing
materials on an invalid table； which worked on a pivot； and could
be arranged in any position most agreeable to her。 At times she
read and wrote a good deal。 At other times she lay quiet；
thinking her own thoughts； or talking with me； and with one or
two lady friends in the neighborhood who came regularly to see
her。
〃Her writing； so far as I knew； was almost entirely of the
poetical sort。 She was a great hand at composing poetry。 On one
occasion only she showed me some of her poems。 I am no judge of
such things。 Her poetry was of the dismal kind； despairing about
herself； and wondering why she had ever been born； and nonsense
like that。 Her husband came in more than once for some hard hits
at his cruel heart and his ignorance of his wife's merits。 In
short； she vented her discontent with her pen as well as with her
tongue。 There were timesand pretty often toowhen an angel
from heaven would have failed to have satisfied Mrs。 Macallan。
〃Throughout the period of her illness the deceased lady occupied
the same rooma large bedroom situated （like all the best
bedrooms） on the first floor of the house。
〃Yes： the plan of the room now shown to me is quite accurately
taken； according to my remembrance of it。 One door led into the
great passage； or corridor； on which all the doors opened。 A
second door； at one side （marked B on the plan）； led to Mr。
Macallan's sleeping…room。 A third door； on the opposite side
（marked C on the plan）； communicated with a little study； or
book…room； used； as I was told； by Mr。 Macallan's mother when she
was staying at Gleninch； but seldom or never entered by any one
else。 Mr。 Macallan's mother was not at Gleninch while I was
there。 The door between the bedroom and this study was locked；
and the key was taken out。 I don't know who had the key； or
whether there were more keys than one in existence。 The door was
never opened to my knowledge。 I only got into the study； to look
at it along with the housekeeper； by entering through a second
door that opened on to the corridor。
〃I beg to say that I can speak from my own knowledge positively
about Mrs。 Macallan's illness； and about the sudden change which
ended in her death。 By the doctor's advice I made notes at the
time of dates and hours； and such like。 I looked at my notes
before coming here。
〃From the 7th of October； when I was first called in to nurse
her； to the 20th of the same month； she slowly but steadily
improved in health。 Her knee was still painful； no doubt； but the
inflammatory look of it was disappearing。 As to the other
symptoms； except weakness from lying in bed； and irritability of
temper； there was really nothing the matter with her。 She slept
badly； I ought perhaps to add。 But we remedied this by means of
composing draughts prescribed for that purpose by the doctor。
〃On the morning of the 21st； at a few minutes past six； I got my
first alarm that something was going wrong with Mrs。 Macallan。
〃I was awoke at the time I have mentioned by the ringing of the
hand…bell which she kept on her bed…table。 Let me say for myself
that I had only fallen asleep on the sofa in the bedroom at past
two in the morning from sheer fatigue。 Mrs。 Macallan was then
awake。 She was in one of her bad humors with me。 I had tried to
prevail on her to let me remove her dressing…case from her
bed…table； after she had used it in making her toilet for the
night。 It took up a great deal of room； and she could not
possibly want it again before the morning。 But no； she insisted
on my letting it be。 There was a glass inside the case； and；
plain as she was； she never wearied of looking at herself in that
glass。 I saw that she was in a bad state of temper； so I gave her
her way； and let the dressing…case be。 Finding that she was too
sullen to speak to me after that； and too obstinate to take her
composing draught from me when I offered it； I laid me down on
the sofa at her bed foot； and fell asleep； as I have said。
〃The moment her bell rang I was up and at the bedside； ready to
make myself useful。
〃I asked what was the matter with her。 She complained of
faintness and depression； and said she felt sick。 I inquired if
she had taken anything in the way of physic or food while I had
been asleep。 She answered that her husband had come in about an
hour since； and； finding her still sleepless； had himself
administered the composing draught。 Mr。 Macallan （sleeping in the
next room） joined us while she was speaking。 He too had been
aroused by the bell。 He heard what Mrs。 Macallan said to me about
the composing draught； and made no remark upon it。 It